Actions To Take
What are some simple actions I can take to incorporate te ao Māori?
The MPI Good Employer Award recognises employers in the food and fibre sector that go the extra mile for their employees. Tree Machine Services LTD won the ‘Māori Agribusiness Award’, an award that celebrates Māori agribusinesses who deliver good employment practices. Tree Machine Ltd demonstrated several practices that could be helpful to implement in your workplace outlined below.
Investment in rangatahi (younger generations)
Tree Machine Ltd focused on investing in their young (17- 30) workforce, helping them gain qualifications to build their careers.
What this could look like in your workplace:
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Supporting Training: Help your employees to achieve certification, through supported training providers, more can be found on our website.
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Basic Qualifications: Support employees in attaining basic qualifications such as a full drivers licence or first aid certificate. Find out more on our website about how to do this.
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Mentoring and Coaching: Refer to chapter 4, Mentoring and Coaching to see how you can support younger employees.
Lead with values
Tree Machine Services LTD operations are guided by values of manaakitanga, mana motuhake (independence), kotahitanga (unity), and tautoko (support).
What this could look like in your workplace:
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Understanding key concepts: Familiarise yourself some of the key concepts of te ao Māori, such as te reo and tikanga Māori.
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Getting to know employees: Learn more about who your employees are outside of work and understand how work may impact their lives, and vice versa. It is important to respect that not everyone may want to engage in these discussions, and that is okay. Encourage participants, but understand that not everyone will be willing to share more than that they are comfortable with. Some suggested questions could be:
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How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Are there any hobbies or activities you are passionate about?
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Is there anything that’s been particularly challenging or rewarding recently in your life?
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Is there anything we can do to support your work-life balance?
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Whanaungatanga in action
A strong sense of family connection is reflected in team bonding events and shared responsibilities among staff at Tree Machine Ltd.
What this could look like in your workplace:
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Team bonding: Consider implementing small te ao Māori practices into your everyday work, such as karakia. Be sure to ask your employees what they would like to see.
Prioritising health and wellbeing
Offering support for workers facing personal struggles, such as issues with transport, is a priority for Tree Machine Ltd.
What this could look like in your workplace:
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Regular check-ins: Consistently check in with your employees to support their wellbeing. Refer to chapter 3, Workplace Wellbeing and Culture.
Kaitiakitanga in action
Tree Machine Ltd is heavily involved in environmental work, such as riparian planting, pest management, and track maintenance in partnership with regional councils.
What this could look like in your workplace:
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Implementing Kaitiakitanga Practices: Adopt relevant kaitiakitanga practices that are relevant to your workplace. See more information on our website.